Calculating machine with rack drive



June 9,1953 c. OCHSNER 2,641,410

CALCULATING MACHINE WITH RACK DRIVE Filed Dec. '7, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.1

. 1111111144,, 'IIIIIIII!IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 11/1/1111!!! III/III!!!WIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlI/l I June 9, 1953 c, OCHSNER 2,641,410

CALCULATING MACHINE WITH RACK DRIVE Filed Dec. 7, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 42 612 07! Oaks/her June 9, 1953 c. OCHSNER CALCULATING MACHINE WITH RACK DRIVE 7 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 7 1949 R m W w m m J m i C a W h 1 x 4 June 9, 1953 CALCULATING MACHINE WITH RACK DRIVE Filed Dec. 7, 1949 c. OCHSNER 2,641,410

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 June 9, 1953 c, oc s 2,641,410

CALCULATING MACHINE WITH RACK DRIVE Filed Dec. 7, 1949 5 sheets she'et 5 FIG.12 [-76.13

57 i 54 I: I I 1 51 (111K615 29 s llflflfl 29 55' 1 [mm 1:: 2.27""

I 30 m v IN VE N TOR Patented June 9, 1953 CALCULATING MACHINE WITH RACK DRIVE Cyrill Ochsner, St. Gallen, Switzerland Application December 7, 1949, Serial No. 131,602 In Switzerland December 9, 1948 Claims. 1,

My present invention relates generally to improvements in calculating machines and particularly to the transfer mechanism thereof, which mechanism is distinguished by displaceably guided toothed pawls adapted to co-operate with toothed wheels for the purpose of setting the counter wheels; the said pawls after the setting of said wheels engaging the latter for the purpose of locking same, effecting the decimal transfer, and then being rendered inoperative again.

One object of my present invention is to make provision for avoiding the risk of overrunning as exists when decimal transfer is effected directly by means of rotary members, and which risk limits the speed of operation of the machine.

Another object is to reduce the power required for actuating the traveling carriage in each denominational column.

The toothed pawls preferably are actuated in dependency on the movement of a carriage which on its forward run carries forward racks which through said toothed wheels cause the setting of the counter wheels. The said racks being rendered inoperative, are returned to their original position on the rearward run of the carriage, whereby the decimal transfer is performed through the said pawls.

The operative speed of the machine thus is still further increased by virtue of utilizing the return stroke of the carriage for effecting the decimal transfer. 1

One form of my present invention is shown, by way of example, in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal section through the machine,

Fig. 2 a top plan view thereof, the top cover plate having been removed,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a rack and parts co-operating therewith.

Fig. 4 shows the transfer carriage in the initial or inoperative position.

Fig. 5 shows the carriage during the return stroke, parts instrumental for decimal transfer having been actuated preparatory for such transfer,

Figs. 6 and 7 Show the carriage in terminal position on completion of its forward run, without and with preparation of the decimal transfer respectively,

Figs. 8 and 9 show in two positions an end view of parts serving for engaging and disengaging the toothed pawls,

Fig. 10 is a partial vertical section inthe range of a toothed pawl,

Fig. 11 is a section through a point of bearing of two pivotable stirrups,

Figs. 12 and 13 show two top plan views of a counter mechanism set in the additive and sub tractive sense,

Figs. 14-16 show elevations with partial sections for illustrating the co-operation of an individual digit key with the stirrups shown in Fig. 11,

Figs. 17 and 18 are bottom plan views of Figs. 14 and 15, respectively,

Fig. 19 shows an elevation and section for ex plaining the mode of operation of an auxiliary key, and

Fig. 20 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 19.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the machine frame comprises a rectangular bed plate I and two longitudinal wall members 2 secured thereto. The latter in top recesses accommodate a box 3 which contains the keyboard of the setting mechanism. A bonnet I is removably secured to the bed plate I. In Fig. 1, a column of digit keys 4 is shown, which normally are held in inoperative position by means of springs 6 coiled about the key stems 5. In the example shown and described eight columns of digit keys 4 are provided, and a rack I (Fig. 2) is associated with each said column. A setting 'bar 8 is disposed adjacent each rack 1'. All the eight setting bars 8 are interengaged with a transverse rod 9 which passes through vertical slots provided at one end of said bars. The said rod 9 is movably supported in horizontal slots it provided in the two longitudinal wall members 2 of the machine frame. The forked ends of two arms ll engage said rod 9 at each end thereof. which arms are pinned to a transverse rod It. The latter is rotatably mounted in the two frame walls 2 and at one end carries a hand crank l3 which is disposed outside the machine casing. Two further rods I 4 and I 5 traverse horizontal slots of the racks and setting bars 1 and 8. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the horizontal slots provided in the setting bars 8 for the axle it are open at one end of the bars. The rod I4 is secured to the two walls 2. The latter have a short vertical slot I6 each (Figs. 8, 9) for rod l5 which is mounted at its ends in an inclined slot I! of a swing arm 18 each. The latter are pivoted on pins l9 to the wall members 2, and each arm 18 is connected to a control arm 2! by means of a connecting link 20. The arms 2! are pivoted on pins 22 to the walls 2. The rod l5 at its opposite ends is further mounted in the fork 23 of one arm ,of =a pair of bell-crank levers 24, which latter levers are pivoted on pins 25 to the walls 2. The two bell-crank levers 24 are disposed on the insides of the walls 2, and hrough their se-- ond arms are interengaged by a rod 28.

The rod 26 traverses a vertical slot 21 provided at the top of vertical pawls 28, the tops of which have two teeth by means of which the pawls 28 co-act with toothed Wheels 29 which engage the denominational counters and are rotatably mounted on a rod 38. When the toothed wheels 29, which are spaced from each other by means of spacing washers, are actuated through the pawls 28, decimal transfer operations are involved. A rod 32 traverses vertical slots 3| provided at the bottom of the pawls 28 and is secured to the wall members 2. Each pawl 28 is engaged by a spring 33 which at its other end is secured to a rod 34 which is fixed to the wall members 2.

Adjacent each pawl 28 there is a latching member 35 which is pivoted on and to said lower rod 32 and on its upper end possesses a laterally projecting lug 36 (see also Fig. The latter co-acts with a lateral detent 3! provided on each pawl 28. To the foot of the latter, a bell-crank lever 38 is pivoted on a pin 38. One arm of the levers 39 terminates in a lug which co-acts with an auxiliary lever 48. The latter are mounted on the upper rod 34 and serve for preparing the decimal transfer. Each bell-crank lever 39 through its other arm may co-act with an arm 4|. All of the latter are mounted on a common lower rod 42 and are traversed by a rod 44 through slots 43. A spring 45 for each bellcrank lever 38 is anchored on said rod 44, and

the rod .2 as well as rod 44 are secured to the two wall members 2. A roller 46 is pivoted to each arm 4! and co-acts with a projection 41 provided on the lower edge of the adjacent setting bar 8. A spring 48 anchored to the rod and engaging arm 41 tends to hold the latter in its upper terminal position, i. e. in the inoperative position (Figs. 4, 6, '7).

Each auxiliary lever 40 is resiliently connected to the adjacent latching member by means of a spring 49. Each auxiliary lever on an upper arm carries an abutment plate 58 for a set arm which serves for decimal transfer and is mounted on a rod 52 which is parallel to the wheel axle 3G. The rod 52 and a rod 53 parallel thereto is mounted in a rectangular casing (not shown) which is open at the bottom and belongs to the counter mechanism. The said casing is mounted on bearing pins secured to the two wall members 2 of the machine frame. The counter wheels 54 are rotatably mounted on the rod 53 and on one side each carries a toothed wheel 55 (Figs. l2, 13.) which meshes with an intermediate wheel 56 rotatably mounted on the rod 52. The said casing of the counter mechanism is displaceable on its bearing pins or, respectively, in direction of the wheel rod 38, for which purpose a hand lever (not shown) is provided. The latter is selectively adjustable to a plus sign or minus sign marked on the bonnet I. Such arrangement permits the operator to correspondingly adjust the said casing and, thus, to couple each counter wheel 54 either directly through its lateral toothed wheel 55 or indirectly through the intermediate wheel 56 to the respective driving wheel 29, according to whether the counter wheels 54 shall be turned in the additive or subtractive sense (positions shown in Figs. 12 and 13 respectively). For the purpose of efiecting the decimal transfer, a stud 51 is secured on the other side of the wheels 54.

which serves for co-acting with the respective set lever 5i mounted on rod 52.

As shown in Fig. 3, each rack 1 associated with each denominational column is provided with teeth (a in the plane of the rack, which teeth correspond to the digit keys I, 2, 4, 6 and 8, as shown for the respective five key stems 5. The stems 5' and 5 of the keys corresponding to the digits 3, 5, 7 and 8 respectively, are cut out at their foot end in order to co-operate, when depressed, only with the associated tooth of rack I. Bracketed teeth 11) on rack l are associated with the digits 3, 5 and '7, while a lug 1c is provided for the key of digit 8. The stem 5" of the latter is extended to project into the path of said lug 1c when the key 4 of digit 8 is depressed.

A bail 58 and an abutment rail 59 (Figs. 15-18) are associated With each key column and through their arms 58 and 58 (Figs. l1, l4, 16) are pivoted on a rod 68 to opposite walls 3 (Fig. l) of key box 3. A cover strip or latch 6| covers the bearing arms 58' and 59 of the elements 58 and 59 at the suspension end on the respective side of key box 3. The abutment rail 59 has a lateral lug 62 to co-operate with one of the bracketed teeth lb of its corresponding rack "I. Springs 63 engaging the arms of the rails 58 tend to hold the latter in the inoperative position as shown in Fig. 14, in which it abuts through its bearing arms against a lateral lug 64 on each of the bails 58. The latter through the inclined surface of its web then abuts against a cross-arm of the stem 5 of the respective column of keys 4. A spring 65 engaging the bail 58 tends to hold the latter in the inoperative position, and the other end of spring 65 is secured to a bracket 85. The brackets 66 are disposed on a common trip rail 61 which is displaceably guided on the underside of key box 3 transversely of the longitudinal members 1 and 8, for which purpose elongated slots 68 provided on the trip rail 6! receive studs 69. A special key 411 (Fig. 19) disposed outside of the keyboard proper serves for actuating the trip rail 61. The key 4a by means of its stem 5a may co-operate with a bracket 66a fixed to the trip rail 61. Upon depressing the spring-loaded special key 4a, a skew surface on its stem 5a engages a lateral lug 65b of bracket 66a so as to displace the trip rail 61 from its inoperative position.

The machine shown and described operates as follows:

Having set the item in question by depressing the respective digit keys 4. the carriage which comprises the transverse rod 8 and all the settina bars 8 and which is slidable on the rods [4 and i5 traversing the longitudinal slots of the setting bars 8, is moved from its inoperative or normal terminal position (Figs. 1 and 4) into its second terminal position (Figs. 6, '7) by means of the hand crank l3 through the rod and the pair of arms H. The crank I3 is turned in direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 4 against the action of springs (not shown). The latter cause the carriage to move back into its initial or inoperative position when crank 13 is released. On depressing a key 4, the lug formed on the key stem 5 abuts against the skew surface of bail 58 so as to rock the latter laterally against spring action, the bail taking along the respective abutment rail 59 by means of its lateral lug E4. The bail 58, being biased through sprin 55. then rocks back over the cross-arm of stem 5, whereupon the key 4 is secured in the depressed position. On the other hand, the abutment rail 59 is held in the corresponding position in that it' abuts through one leg of its web (which latter is angular in crosssection) against said cross-arm of key stem 5. The abutment rail 59 now is in the inoperative position in that its lug (i2 is outside of the track of the respective bracketed tooth lb of its corresponding rack T. The racks which thus have been tripped for displacement (Fig. 17), are taken along through the respective or adjacent setting bars 8 when the carriage 8, 9 runs forward, for the purpose of turning the respective toothed wheels 29 according to the numerical value to be transmitted thereonto or, respectively, on the counter wheels 54. Such transmission is defined by the contact of the respective tooth la, lb or with the stem 5 of the depressed key 4. The toothed wheels 29 are released through the pawls 2?; when the carriage 3, 9 runs forward. According to the setting of the counter casing 01', respectively, of the wheels 55 and 56, the counter wheels are turned in the additive or subtractive sense.

A leaf spring lo secured to the underside of the adjacent setting bar 8 (Fig. 1) serves for taking along the rack l. The spring 10 has its end rolled up to form a lobe H for engagement with a notch 12 provided. on the lower edge of rack I. The notch 72 is staggered relatively to a notch l3 provided on the lower edge of the associated setting bar 8. The resilient follower 78, therefore, causes rack l to be coupled to setting bar 8 only after the carriage 8, 9 has travelled forward through a certain distance. The notches 13 of the setting bars 8 are not staggered relatively to each other, but the followers 1c are of different lengths so that when the carriage 8. 9 runs forward, the followers ill successively snap into the notches I2, 13 of the pairs of members 7, 8 and thus cause successive coupling between the forwardly moved setting bars 8 and the rack I which first are at rest. Such arrangement affords the following advantages. When startin to run the crank 13, i. e. at the beginning of the forward run. of the carriage 8, 9, less power is required than afterwards when the crank has been moved. When the resilient followers lll are disengaged, i. e. the pairs of members i, 8 are successively uncoupled, less power is required than when all of the active followers 7U would have to be disengaged simultaneously.

In the final phase of forward run of, the carb, 9, the two arms 2| are rocked through rod from the position shown in Fig. 8 into that shown in Fig. 9 whereby the two arms. it are moved in the respective position through the connecting link 23. The guide rod [5 thus is moved downwardly in the vertical guide slots l6 provided in the two longitudinal frame wall members 2 through the inclined slots ll of the two arms l8, and the two bell-crank levers 24 are rocked clockwise from the position shown in Fig. 8 into that shown in Fig. 9. By virtue of such movement, the pawls 28 are rocked through the coupling rod 26 of the two levers 24 about the lower rod 32 from the inoperative position in i into that shown in Fig. 5 in which they engage the toothed wheels 29 which thereby are locked in their setting position. During such engaging movement of the pawls 28, the carriage 8, 9 is rocked on the stationary guide rod l4 owing to said sinking movement of the rod !5, and the racks l which have been displaced from their position of rest are disengaged from the toothed wheels 29.

After the carriage 8, 9 has performed its full stroke, the handle I3 is released, whereupon the carriage is rapidly returned through the action swings back into its initial position during the rearward run of the carriage 8, 9, subsequently is turned again against spring action to initiate another forward run of carriage 8, 9, after the depressed keys 4 have been returned again into their inactive position (in a manner set out here inafter) and after a second numerical value has been set in the setting mechanism by means of the keys 4.

The backward run of carriage 8, 9 is utilized in the following manner for carrying out the decimal transfer.

The arms 4! against the action of the springs 48 are temporarily rocked downwardly about the rod 42 from the position shown in Figs. 4, 6 and 7 into that shown in Fig. 5, by virtue of a temporary co-operation of the cams 4! on the setting bars 8 with the rollers 56 pivoted to the arms 4|. Such rocking movement has no effect on the pawls 28 of those toothed wheels 29 and, thus, of those counter wheels 54 for which no decimal transfer is contemplated. Decimal transfer will take place, however, at the points where preparation has been made therefor by the lateral stud 5'! on the counter wheels 54. For such preparatory purpose, the respective adjusting lever 5| has been rocked through said stud 5'! so as to rock the auxiliary lever through the abutment plate against the action of spring 33 clockwise, i. e. from the position shown in Fig. 6 into that shown in Fig. '7. During such rocking movement, the auxiliary lever 40 has tripped the abutment lever 39 which thus is rocked through spring 45 and, as shown in Fig. 7, abuts against the foot of pawl 23. When the arm ii subsequently is rocked downwardly by the bottom cam 41 of setting bar 8, the latter engages the abut merit lever 39 which is pivoted to pawl 28 whereby the latter is downwardly displaced with respect to the two rods 26 and 32 for an amount corresponding to one tooth spacing, which displacement causes the respective counter wheel 54 to be rocked through an angle corresponding to one unit or division.

In order to ensure a positive transmission of such decimal transfer from counter wheel to counter wheel (from the tens to the hundreds, from the latter to the thousands, and so on), the bottom cams 47 of the setting bars ii are gered relatively to each other. When the pawl 28 is depressed, as stated above, its lateral catch 31' (Fig. 10) slides along the lug 36 of the latching member 35 and leaves the same below, whereupon the member 35 is rocked through the springs 49 so as to abut against the bearing rod 34 of the auxiliary lever 40. The lateral lug 3B of the latching member 35 now is situated directly above the top end face of said catch 31, and the pawl 28 thus is secured against upward displacement. In the final phase of the backward run of carriage 8, 9 the cross-rod 9 abuts against the swing arms is which thus are rocked back into their normal position, and the rod i5 also is turned back into its inactive position by means of the slots 1! and 16 in said arm i8 and in the two longitudinal wall members 2. The carriage 8, 9 thus is correspondingly rocked on the rod I 5 so as to assume its initial position again, in which the racks l with their respective terminal teeth are engaged to the toothed wheels 29. The toothed wheels 29 and counter wheels 54 thus are locked in their setting position. On the other hand, the two bell-cram: levers 24 are rocked through the rod !5 (when the latter turns back into the inactive position) so that the pawls 28 are disengaged from the toothed wheels 25 by means of the coupling rod 26. The lateral catch 3'5 f pawi in is moved to the left out of range of the upper lug 35 on arm 35 i. e. the pawl 23 is released and through spring 33 moved axially upward on the two rods 28, 32 into its initial or inactive position (Fig. 4)

In order to restore the lceys i to their inactive position, the tripping rail 5': is displaced from its position of rest by loans of the auxiliary key to. (Fig. 19), the bails (which have become active on se ting an item by means of the key 3) are rocked through the angled holders 56 so as to become inactive. When released, the key to moves back to its inactive position. When depressing the auxiliary key 4a, a latch 58a engages an abutment stirrup 59a and is rocked therewith in corresponding manner, for which purpose the l stern co-acts with a lug 6627 provided on holder 513a. -:hich latter is subjected to the action of a spring 55a (Fig. 20). The two stirrups and 59: are destined for further "unctions for which no further details are shown here. The stirrup is secured in the rocked position by means of a rod 5b 19, 20) of a second auxiliary lrey.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a decimal transfer mechanism, a traveling carriage for each denominational column, a rack associated with said carriage and adapted to be engaged by the latter on the forw rd run thereof, counter w ieels, toothed. wheels for driving aid counter wheels, a plurality of displaceably guided tooth pawls adapted to engage and lock the toothed wheels after setting of the counter wheels by racks, means cooperating between said racks and pawls for actuatin the said pawls in dependency on the movement of said carriage or carriages, the said rack or racks ing adapted to set the counter wheels through the toothed wheels on the forward run of the racks and to be taken along on the backward run of the carriage in inactive position, abutment levers pivoted on said pawl means normally maintaining said abutment levers in an inactive position in the absence of a decimal transfer, means cooperating between said counter wheels and said last named means for operating the latter to permit said abutment levers to move to active position to eifect a decimal transfer, and means cooperating between said abutment levers to effect the decimal transfer during the backward run of said carriages.

2. In a decimal transfer mechanism as set out in claim 1, the plurality of traveling carriages being slidably mounted on two guide rods disposed at right angles across the entire width of the machine, operating means connected with the carriage for sliding the same relative to said rods, and linkage means cooperating with one of said rods and said operating means for lowering and raising the said one rod in the final phase of the forward run and backward run respectively of the carriage, whereby the carriage is tilted on the other of said rods and the racks with respect to the appurtenant toothed wheels are disengaged and engaged respectively.

3. In a decimal transfer mechanism as set out in claim 2, the plurality of carriages each comprising a setting bar set on edge and a resilient follower, said follower for each setting bar being each of a difierent length thereby to successively pick up and take along its associated rack during the forward run of the carriage as far as the racks are used for carrying out the calculating operation.

4. In a decimal transfer mechanism as set out in claim 3, a cross-rod engaging all the said carriages to initiate the raising and lowering of the respective guide rod, linkage means associated with the latter and said pawls WhBl'Gbj said pawls are engaged and disengaged with respect to the appurtenant toothed wheels, and means on the setting bars of said carriages for causing movement of the pawls for decimal transfer.

5. In a decimal transfer mechanism as set out in claim 4, the toothed pawls displaceably guided on two parallel rods, one of the latter being adapted to tilt the pawls for engaging and disengaging, and securing arms associated with pawls and pivotably mounted on the second rod for co-acting with said pawls to secure same in position on completion of the movement for decimal transfer until the pawls are again disengaged.

CYRILL OCHSNER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Fassett Mar. 23, Ekman Nov. 9, Lasker Aug. 3,

Number Vigborg July 2, Drake June 7, Gang June 14, Boyden Jan. 31, 

